Memories of a Newer Clan
by Jounin Blade
Summary: A short battle tears the friends apart. And a sole survivor will never be the same.(its not Sasuke. you'll have to read to find out who!) Please r&r, i want to know what people think.
1. New begginings, old friends

The disclaimer goes unspoken. Sorry if I mess up the original storyline, I get my stuff from Shonen Jump. If you've had english mangas, I hate you, cause I can't find em. But now they're out in bookstores here, so I won't be behind too long.  
  
All the Jounins were in a meeting with the Hokage, discussing what the new teams would be. Shikamaru was holding most of the attention for once, coming up with training ideas and such. Sasuke was quiet, as always. Sakura had fallen silent, just glancing over at Sasuke. Naruto was playing a game of hangman with Kakashi, and loosing miserably. The answer was ramen, but he couldn't seem to get the hints. A tired-looking Hokage was sitting in the front, occasionally writing stuff down, occasionally whispering something to Iruka, who was now also a Jounin. Ino had all her attention focused on Shikamaru, proud couple that they now were. Neji and Hinata were just...well, they were the only other attentive ones in the crowd. Everyone else was either on a mission or hadn't bothered to come.  
  
Finally, Shikamaru fell silent. This change caused everyone to look up, and the Hokage cleared his throat.  
  
"Starting next week, you will all have new teams to look after and train. The first day you meet them should just be introductions. By the end of the second, you need to be able to tell me who passes and who fails." With that, the meeting was adjourned. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and slowly filed out.  
  
Things had changed a lot for team seven, or at least the former team seven. At the age of sixteen they had been promoted to Jounin level, a new record, and now they were getting their very own teams. Naruto still loved ramen, still fought with Sasuke, and Sakura still held onto hopes of getting her former teammate on a date. Ino had finally given up on Sasuke, but he hadn't noticed. His thoughts were still centered on training.   
  
Some thought it unwise to have teenage Jounins, but Sasuke had shot them all death glares, so they shut up.   
  
Most people walked towards the noodle bar, because Naruto was buying. But Sasuke walked towards the forest. He had a little hiding spot back there to train, and he religiously worked on his skills for four hours a day. But today was different. They all knew it. 


	2. Fallen Memories of Foreign Battles

Most people walked towards the noodle bar, because Naruto was buying. But Sasuke walked towards the forest. He had a little hiding spot back there to train, and he religiously worked on his skills for four hours a day. But today was different. They all knew it.  
  
It was funny. As Sasuke walked to his training area, he knew that there was someone of impossible strength waiting for him. He knew that he would have to fight the second he got there. But he walked on.  
  
At the Ichiraku noodle bar, the chatter ceased abruptly stopped. Everyone took one glance around, and then disappeared. Some headed towards the immense boost of chakra coming from the forest, others went to commence lockdown. It was battle time.  
  
Sasuke attacked first. Shuriken were everywhere, and the return fire was just as fierce.   
  
'Hmph, this guy's pretty good.' Then he realized what he had just rolled over. A log suspended by ropes fell right on the spot Sasuke had just been, while the volleys of kunai had just grown fiercer.   
  
'Damn, he's got the place rigged. I gotta get out of here.' And with that, Sasuke did something he had only done once before in his life. He ran.  
  
At the village, the fighting was just as intense. Arrows and swords were everywhere, and shuriken were useless in such short-range kunai. Naruto glanced over at Hinata, who was blocking a sword with her shuko. An arrow whizzed by her head, grazing her cheek.  
  
Kakashi, Shikamaru, Ino, and Iruka were fighting back-to-back with a circle of destruction left in their wake.  
  
The Hokage was only a blur. His Daito was never going to be clean again, and the blade had been notched several times.   
  
Neji was the first to fall. He died defending the forbidden scrolls that Naruto had first learned the art of the doppelganger from. Several Chunnin jumped in to take his place. The youngest of which being the son of Master Iruka.  
  
Sasuke had now returned to the village. Naruto asked no questions, but turned around to block an arrow.   
  
"Let's fire this place up!" Naruto and Sasuke fought their way to the middle of the crowd of evil henchmen.  
  
'Huh, Sound-nins,' thought Sasuke as he and Naruto performed some seals.  
  
"Fire Style! Fireball Technique!" they yelled in unison. Sound-nins fell like flies around them, and when they cut the attack off, all that remained in a fifty-foot radius around them was charred earth. Then they were gone, fighting away.   
  
Ino was down nursing an arrow-wound, and Shikamaru stood in front of her, sword in one hand, the other throwing kunai at an amazing speed.   
  
Iruka now sported a nice new gash running down his arm. Kakashi was soaked in blood. Who's it was, nobody could tell.  
  
Hinata, Sasuke, and Sakura were fighting together, all had run out of things to throw long ago, and so resorted to katanas.  
  
Suddenly, a blur streaked by them, a blade extended, and they all fell. A figure stopped in front of them, holding a long neck-cleaving knife. But it wasn't Zabuza. Kakashi's eyes went wide with recognition.  
  
Naruto didn't notice. He dropped his sword and ran over to the three people he cared for most. Sasuke smirked when he saw the blonde hair streaked with blood.   
  
"Man, I could go for some ramen right now," said Sasuke.  
  
"Anytime, man. Anytime." With that, Sasuke died. Naruto rushed over to Hinata, who was unconscious. Sakura was the last one left.  
  
"Naruto, I...had fun...it was worth it..." Her head dropped forward, and she breathed her last breath.  
  
Naruto's face was streaked with tears. He just sat there for a minute, not believing that they could be dead. His rival, Sasuke, the closest thing he had ever had to a real friend. Sakura, who he had loved. And Hinata, who had loved him. Looking around, he saw Shikamaru lying in front of Ino, neither moving. Kakashi was surrounded, doing his best. But the last thing Naruto saw, was Iruka get a kunai to the back of his head. And it was too much for him.  
  
Those remaining stopped fighting. All eyes were on the blonde teenager with more chakra than was imaginable flowing through him. His eyes were closed, and his hands formed a familiar seal.   
  
When his eyes opened, they glowed red. No one there was not struck with terror.  
  
"Art of the Doppelganger." He whispered, and there were nearly a hundred Narutos. They all flowed with the same amount of chakra as the original. Naruto closed his eyes, and then the clones began to perform many seals in unison. When he opened his eyes, a shock wave ripped apart the landscape.  
  
"RANSENGAN!" The enemy was obliterated in one move. None were spared but leaf-nins. When the dust cleared, there was only one Naruto. He stood alone, in the middle of a battlefield that told of many years. The lone figure looked towards the bright blue sky, and he mouthed one thing. Only Kakashi understood it.  
  
"It was worth it, wasn't it?" He stood there for a moment longer, and then walked off.   
  
A month later, a plaque was erected in the spot where the three fell. It was Naruto's design, built from obsidian. Sakura blossoms were carved in the top, and an inscription read, " They died defending their friends, the way they wanted. And it was all worth it. Always..." 


End file.
